A coorelation between ethnic families and less atheists?

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not racist and I'm half asian anyway, but why do I see so many white atheists? Why is the diversity so...well... virtually nonexistent?

Going through A/N and encountering atheists elsewhere, can't get over the fact that I hardly ever see any black, Indian, or Latino (is that the politically correct term?) atheists except the very few scattered here and there. I've only seen one other asian too.

Why do you all think that is? I know that at least speaking for asians in my experience, they tend to have rigid family values and like to share a more collectivist mentality and family hierarchy. Is that similar to the rest of you all's experiences? Do you think it has to do with family structure or cultural ties? Which values do you think that they come from?

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Someone mentioned Neil deGrasse Tyson as the only well-known black atheist, but isn't Ayaan Hirst Ali an atheist too, or is it only American atheists we're talking about? Theres also the delectable Ariane Sherine, a 28 year old British writer with Persian ancestry responsible for the incredibly successful Atheist Bus Campaign. Im guessing her parents were part Persian because her mothers side features Parsi Zoroastrians (At least according to wikipedia). I never wanted to be Dawkins as much as when I saw him hugging Ariane Sherine lol!

um... I hate to be a damper, nerd, but.... *whisper*I think it was the title that did it...

you're points aren't too bad I'm sure, but you MUST understand how important framing is when delivering a message. when people read the title of any piece, they automatically make a snap judgement about what the rest of it about. this first impression carries as they use confirmation bias (it's HORRIBLE. nobody can escape it. not even atheists) based on what attracted them (the big bold title) to inform the rest of their reading.

i know you a little better now I think. I wouldn't call you sexist now, but reading that title, I would assume you were. It would give me a good reason looking back to make a snap judgement about your possible motives in writing that piece.

A good majority of Viets are Catholic too. I've been to some REEEALLY boring and long Catholic weddings. It's almost like they're trying to make sure that nobody in the pews gets married...ugh...

Another reason that I'm thinking that there may be some lacking of atheism in other cultures is because of the enlightenment in Europe. Ben Franklin and TJ got their more atheist ideas from France and England, I know. The white people probably are most directly influenced by descendents of atheists and exposed to Europeans more often, perhaps by family, role models...etc.

There's a culture boundary because I guess a lot of other cultures have strong religious family bonds and any exposure to atheism has been through flitting observations on their friends' facebooks or something. I feel like if atheists weren't hiding in the closet like homosexuals are forced to do, atheists might get a little more diverse. All of my friends know exactly where I'm coming from and if they CAN ignore me, I know that I have at least shaken their faith with some powerful questions.

anyway, I'm very pleased with the diversity of comments so far =) thanks guys!

oh, well that makes sense, Paul, but... I'd hesitate to call them the...right? kind of atheist in my opinion. I don't know how I feel about them. I would never force anyone to be atheist because of government interference. When you force it like that, I feel like it would be dangerous and they could fall back into theism at any time free of the gov't.

anyway, I don't know anything about them. I'm just giving my initial reaction. Good point though.

I think I can provide an answer. I remember when my mom and I were watching Wife Swap for the first time, there was an Atheist black family on there and my mom said "Look at them, how can they be Atheist? Back in the slavery days all black people had was God." The reason at least from a black family standpoint is that we are taught early in the game about God and how he delivered us from slavery and how good he is and everything. In fact have you watched any movies or TV shows that involve black people and church? The whole running in the hall and the dancing and "catching the holy ghost" is true in a Baptist church.

In black culture if you don't act how other black people believe you are supposed to act, they say that you're "acting white" and that you aren't really black. And some blacks consider being an Atheist is a "white people" thing.